Score
Gameplay:	9
Graphics:	10
Sound:	9
FunFactor:	10
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	9.4

Doom 3 Review
April 15, 2005 by Adam Gainer

by adam - April 15, 2005

Doom 3, one of the most successful games of 2004, has finally come to the Xbox. As the third installment in the Doom series, this game exceeds all of its predecessors hands down. With a gripping story, beautiful graphics, and fun gameplay, this game thrusts players into a horrific and graphic world where you must kill to survive.

Stick to your guns

Doom 3 is more than just your average first person shooter, as there are many aspects that set this game apart from others in the genre. Doom 3 loses nothing in its port to Xbox, as the button layout is convenient and simple. This is a must for gamers as they need to be able to outwit and kill monsters in order to survive. Enemies are always lurking in the shadows and you never know what lies just around the corner waiting to devour you. Clever enemy artificial intelligence (AI) makes this game a challenge as monsters will appear out of nowhere and will team together.

You have an advantage on them, however, with an arsenal of awesome weaponry. The weapons in this game are the same from the others in the series and get a serious facelift on the Xbox. Chainsaws, shotguns, and machine guns are just some of the tools you'll be able to use to dispose of your enemies quickly. Each weapon has its own unique use and different abilities. You'll need to use some sparingly though as ammunition is scarce and you never know when your going to get more. Virtually all the weapons in the game are available in Doom 3's impressive multiplayer modes.

Nightmarishly real

Doom 3 is not for the faint of heart, as this game is intense and very scary. The dimly lit atmospheres are a perfect match for the nature of the game. Set in the future, the game does a great job of portraying realism. There are corporate videos and logos which are minor details which help the gamer feel as if they are part of the game. Graphic user interfaces on virtually every machine in the game help to add to this effect. Doom 3 has some of the best lighting I have seen in a game in a very long time. As most of the game is set in almost pitch black conditions, lighting plays an extremely important role. Each level appears hellish as there are bloodied walls and carcasses littering each map. Certain rooms have been transformed to look like they are straight out of hell. There are portions of the game in which it will cut to a nightmarish looking cinematic.

The demons in this game appear horrific. Each has meticulous detail which makes them look very real and very scary. The level of detail on the monsters is only apparent when they are very close to you. Enemy movement is very fast and is sometimes difficult to track in the dark. When demons are shot they bleed and sometimes the damage you do to them can be seen. A shotgun blast to the face will certainly decapitate most enemies as they explode in a pool of blood.

The language of the devil

Doom 3 does not disappoint in the sound department, featuring Dolby Digital 5.1. The sound is a critical component to setting each one of the scenes. Background noises are superb as you can hear the hum of machinery throughout each level. Voices in this game are impressive as well and do a great job of sounding authentic. Each character is unique and has his or her own personality which you can hear. Cries for help can be heard throughout the game. When you hear the moans of enemies, you fear what just might be lying ahead of you in the dark. There will be times when a room will be haunted or possessed and an eerie voice does a great job of adding to the tension and horror. The sound effects that characters make while walking, shooting, and reloading all sound very authentic. Explosions and weapons all sound particularly impressive.

Killing was never so much fun.

Doom 3 does a great job immersing the gamer in a very real sci-fi/horror/survival game. This game is linear, with survival as your ultimate objective. This is not to say that the game doesn't have a strong storyline, however. Cinematics offer the gamer glimpses of what's happening elsewhere as do audio logs and radio feeds. This game is challenging in its realistic setting, forcing players to search areas to find essential items so that they may progress. The spawning of enemies makes every different environment a challenge as you may have to fight your way out of a room just to head into an even more challenging area. With plenty of places for both the player and his enemies to hide, you must constantly stay on your toes or you will face certain death.

There is a variety of different areas to explore in Doom 3, with various possibilities for interaction and battle. With each section being a different part of an experimental space colony you can run through different points in which you have to accomplish different objectives. Weapons caches and medical bays are on almost every level so you have a chance to re-arm and heal yourself to go out and face another plethora of demons. Different weapons add to the fun as you can choose new strategies based off of new firepower. There are interactive machines which you must use in order to be able to keep progressing. The graphic interfaces make each piece of machinery unique.

Test your skill against others

Doom 3 on Xbox Live (XBL) is incredibly fun. There are a couple of multiplayer modes which allow you to use the weapons and explore new levels. A really fun co-op mode lets players fight demons side by side as you work as a team to make it through the hellish nightmares in the game. The enemies in co-op will increase their intelligence and number so that you and your slaying partner will always have more to do. Multiplayer fragging is simlar to that of Quake in that there are huge levels and many fun weapons to use. The ability to manipulate environments in the multiplayer modes is very cool, as you can turn the lights off to start confusion or bait a trap. The only downside to the multiplayer is that there is a four-player maximum per game. This makes multiplayer deathmatch a little dry as you have no fresh new gamers joining. Another downside is that if the host of a game quits then the match is ended. You can surf the online menu to choose which games you can join and play.

 

A smash success

Doom 3 is a great port from the PC to the Xbox. Graphic detail is the main staple of this game. It does a fantastic job of making a very scary and nightmarish world. The engaging single player mode is enough to make you play for hours without ever becoming stale or boring. The multiplayer modes are fun and will help you to hone your skills. I strongly recommend this game for anyone looking for a great first person shooter. This game is a real gem to own.